Friday, April 29, 2011

Any Lady Gaga fans out there? Then you must know the title of this blog. While I'm not a great fan I appreciate anyone who makes an effort and that's what she does! My race today was similar in this respect. Although I did what I could the twisting turning course of Sakai and a few injuries going in had me wanting.

Still it is a course record and I did come 5th in the Master's division. But frankly I was a little depressed after finishing. Anyway if you allow me to spin this, I'm definitely on the right track and just have to be patient. Nothing is going to rush new PBs just have to put in the extra work and wait for the right time/race.

I reckon we all need to not reach our expectations at times otherwise we would never have the motivation to train harder! Just what it will take to get me to a breakthrough I'm not sure, but I'm moving forward looking for it and that's the best I can do!

Today's time: 36:38

The video below is of me in the last 200 hundred meters and I look pathetic, not being able to muster more of a sprint! Just for the record this course is reckoned by the winners to be 200 meters long and by my measurements, my walking measure, it's over 300 meters long!

And one thing before I finish. If anyone who has anything to do with the organisation of this race is reading. Put your hand in the registration jar and 1) buy us chips, 2) put in kilometer markers, and 3) give the top ten something for their efforts. Tight bastards! You know it really makes our wonderful Sakai City look cheap and thoughtless! While I love running in my hometown, we really could do a better job of it. Just not Japanese, I reckon.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

So far...No approach by a coach, but starting to think there is still a lot I can do myself before I have to ask for help. I have a 10K race coming this Friday and although I've been training for it and want to do well I'd just be happy with a course record. Think this will be the 5th time I've run the Sakai-City Marathon (10K) and the 2nd time to run in the masters division. I was 7th last year in about 36:50 on a hot day.

The last few training runs haven't been easy, got this pain on the outside of the heal of my right foot and the Achilles on that foot feels like someone is giving it the old "Siamese Burn." Not to mention a little bit of plantar fasciitis due to some over ambitious speed work and some hamstring problems on the left leg. Other than that I'm fine ;) Anyway I'd do what I can on the day and it could be, going by the course and my best efforts going into this, between 34:00 minutes and 36:00! Looking towards it and wanting to PB if I can!

Thought I'd share this clip as it is my all time favorite movie and please if you haven't seen it, or haven't in a while. Do yourself a favor, as they say.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Been thinking over the past few years whether or not I should get a coach and recent events have again put this question front and center.

Ryan Halls' fantastic run in Boston has, I reckon, justified his decision to "Self Coach" but while I'm in awe of his achievements his fourth place still shows that time means little when you're racing at this level! You really have to race to win that means beating those around you no matter the time they're running! The question still remains could Ryan have achieved what he did in Boston keeping the coach he had? And can he race to win in future without the help of a good coach?

Also our blogging mate Thomas' recent sub three shows what a good program and a great coach can do for you. I applaud Thomas's ability train hard and listen to others, not easy for a smart guy! Still, this is not to say he couldn't of achieved what he did on his own, one way or another, I reckon.

My basic view is this: I want a coach as I think self coaching is basically a disaster but my options are limited due to the fact that I'm not an elite runner and don't have the money to pay for the kind of help that would be superior to the advice I can get from "friends" and what I can cobble together from the Internet and experience of others.

Below (listed) are some things I could possibly do as I'm not happy going along exactly as I am now so I'd like some kind of change. Yet it's tricky, knowing just what to do at this stage. What do you think?

I could

1) Stay with my current Marius Bakken's plan and pay someone, another high level coach, to adjust it to my specific goal, a sub 2:30:00 marathon some time within the next three years... (Cost about $100 US one off). Peter Pfitzinger offers such a service.

2) I could pay one of you guys my loyal and knowledgeable readers to guide me. Willing to pay in sports gear, shoes and the like before and after reaching goal (value about $350 US).

3) I could ask someone like Mcmillan, Pat Carroll or Peter Pfitzinger to coach me to this goal marathon,. Pay them monthly at the rates they offer, not too much but much more than the other options.

What do you reckon on the above? Do you see any other options for me? Are you able to offer your services? Let me know otherwise I might have to take "Coach Hoffman" up on his offer of a coach. Like he says in "Eat to Win"... "The side affects may vary but the results speak for themselves!" ;)

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Thanks for your advice from last post, all helpful. I'm now basically doing as much as I can, in the way of speed, and backing off when things start to get ugly. I heard an excellent quote by Nate Jenkins in an interview with "Running Times Radio" something to the affect of... "Nobody ever got better/faster from any workout it is only ones ability recovery from training sessions that will make the difference" (between a champ and a chump).

I'll plug on with this in mind. What I wanted to write about today was "Twitter." I've had an account now for about 6 months and although I had little idea on how to use it, at first, I've certainly warmed to it and you will find me there, at least checking, almost everyday.

Just a little of my twitter history.

At first I thought it would be good to tell people what I was up to..

(Below actual tweets)

"At maccas having coffee before my run I'd ask what are the poor people doing but no need they're all here I'll ask them myself"

But that was not really what good tweeting is all about. Twitter is much better to help promote your business or interests..

"January 2011 races and locations in Japan are up on samurai running http://samurairunning.com/register.html"

And or let people know you have just uploaded a new blog post..

"High mileage. The story so far...http://the-long.blogspot.com/"

But the best part for me is that it gives me an outlet for my dreams of becoming a stand-up comedian. While I love running I think that if I had a wish I'd rather be Rodney Dangerfield than any elite runner. But sadly I may not have enough talent to be either. But I'll keep trying ;)

Below a collection of tweets, "funny or not" you be the judge!

Some are topical..

"Paul the Octopus, of World Cup prediction fame, has died. Now no idea who's going to win the World Cup? I suppose I could ask a scallop!"

"Canadian authorities investigate dog encased in block ice found on man's front lawn" say it may be linked to frozen turds on back lawn"

Some are personal..

"I'm not sure if I talk about my kids too much at the office but a guy at work did quit, saying he "wanted to see less of my family!"

Some a a mix of personal and topical (Mubarak's Egypt).

"My son understands Egypt after all he has grown up with calls of "Get out out old man" but I keep telling his mother I'm not going anywhere!"

"Teen Virgins on the Rise ... Nearly one-third of teens reported no sexual activity." looks like we've finally found some common ground"

Most of my tweets follow a theme like my recent ones of "Words that should be."

"Extra Teartestical" The effort exerted when running away from what you mistakenly believe to be an alien!"

"Whoredrobe" A large storage area where you keep things you don't want your wife to know about."

"Unplanned Parentwood" An unfortunate erection that spontaneously appears during a meeting with your child's teacher!"

"Stimuless Package" The grion region of the average married man!"

"Spare-condtioner": Those little left over packets of rinse left in the hotel rooms of bald men."

I won't give up my day job just yet but I'd like you to follow me on Twitter, at least humor me ;)

Sunday, April 03, 2011

As you may know with my marathon being cancelled I've turned my attention to a 10K PB and have been following a 33 min 10K plan. The trouble with this is most of the sessions call for times that are close to or better than my PBs at 3K to 5K, like 3 x 3200 meter repeats in 10:39 with 400 meter jog repeats in between! Given that my 3K PB is 10:15 you can see that I'm having trouble finishing these kind of sessions off!

Actually I'm really not worried, I figure if I can get thereabouts I will see improvement. But one thing that does worry me is the plans' "easy" days have me running at 4:15 per K over about 10ks. While I can handle these sessions (have been cruising up until now), I worry that they don't give me much rest between speed sessions and I'm going to breakdown sooner or later.

What do you think? Should I battle on with it? If not, how would you adapt this schedule if you were me?

NEXT RACES

Followers

QUOTES

"No one would have crossed the ocean if he could have gotten off the ship in the storm"

Charles Kettering

"Do not be too moral, you may cheat yourself out of much life. Aim above morality. Be not simply good, be good for something."

Henry David Thoreau

“We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all we need to make us happy is something to be enthusiastic about.”

Charles Kingsley

"Happiness is different from pleasure. Happiness has something to do with struggling and enduring and accomplishing."

George Sheehan

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those that matter don't mind."

Dr. Seuss

"In case you haven't been keeping track of current events, we just got our asses kicked."

Soldier, from the movie Aliens.

"Suffering is the sole origin of consciousness."

Dostoyefsky

"Running is the most universal sport on the planet. Every able bodied human being has competed in a running race. There has, and always will be, running. Running is even more universal than sex, more universal than any other accomplishment, more universal than any language, art or music genre. The best runners in the world are the ultimate human beings. "

Sean Williams

“Believe in yourself, know yourself, deny yourself, and be humble.”

John Treacy

"What do we live for if not to make life less difficult for each other?"

Roger Bannister

"You manage what you measure"

old management adage

"A quality shoe cushions the foot. It helps absorb against the impact of an unforgiving terrain. It also provides support against ankle roll, ruptured Achilles. And in some instances……….. Death!"

"Coach" Rick Hoffman

"That man is the richest whose pleasures are the cheapest"

Henry David Thoreau

"There are no limits, there are only plateaus, and you must go beyond them"
Bruce Lee

Magazine Covers

From top to bottom:

Emi and I, my youngest son, (now grown up a bit), my Japanese niece, myself (still not grown up at all), the family, my eldest son (now grown up a bit).

SELF HELP

"Without knowing it, you may be ascribing to other people the feelings you are experiencing yourself. Because you hate yourself, you think other people hate you. This is known as projection. sometimes of course other people really do hate you. This is known as hatred. There is not much you can do about it. You're probably just the sort of person that people hate."

Road Rage

"To avoid succumbing to road rage, close your eyes and imaging you are lying in a beautiful meadow on a summer's day. Touch the blades of grass. Smell the wild flowers. See the butterflies flitting past.

Hear the sound of tearing metal as you drive into the car in front of you."

Victim

"You are a victim because you believe you don't deserve any better. It doesn't always have to be this way. Let somebody else be a victim for a change. Next time you're walking down a busy street, push somebody else under a bus and shout, 'look a victim, and it's somebody else!'

Deal with any residual guilt feelings by using Reiki healing techniques."

The inner core

"Lie down in a grassy park and relax completely. Close your eyes. Access your deep inner core by listening to your breathing. After a few minutes, you will find yourself suffused by a feeling of warmth.